TL;DRSpotify testing “skip ahead” button for Premium users that bypasses podcast ads not sold by Spotify. Podcast networks say it threatens their monetisation. Spotify says it keeps listeners engaged longer. Only works when app is in foreground.
Spotify is testing a feature that could reshape the podcast industry’s economics. A “skip ahead” button, appearing for some Premium subscribers when the app is in the foreground, lets users bypass podcast ads, intros, and filler in a single tap. The catch: ads sold directly by Spotify cannot be skipped. Only ads sold by the podcast networks themselves can be. The distinction creates a two-tier system where Spotify’s own advertising inventory is protected and everyone else’s is devalued.
The reaction was immediate. Tommy Vietor, cofounder of liberal podcast network Crooked Media, called it an attempt to “destroy the podcast industry.” Podnews called it a “significant threat” to ad-funded shows. Several major audio networks contacted Spotify after the change was announced, seeking information about the impact on their monetisation. One podcast ad company told Podnews the practice could be considered fraudulent, since ads are charged for and stitched into the audio while listeners are simultaneously given a way to avoid hearing them.
